In the fall I thought I brought all of my FAS-DPD testing chemicals in the house to protect from freezing. I just found an 8oz bottle of the CYA reagent R-0013 in my shed frozen solid. I've heard that some testing chemicals should not be used after being frozen. Is R-0013 a chemical that can be used after being frozen or should I just toss the bottle?
Frozen testing chemicals
- Thread starter kjbarth
- Start date
Dave will probably have the definitive answer, but R-0013 is pretty inert. I'd thaw it out and run a test on your pool water and see how it does. You should have an idea of how much CYA was in the pool water when you closed it. Unless of course your pool is frozen. 
+ 1 what bama said. For that particular reagent, I can't say for absolute certain but my bet is it will perform fine.
Hi, I just wanted to close the loop on this. After my frozen R-0013 thawed, I used some to test the CYA level in my hot tub. Results were the same as a test I ran about a week ago. So, frozen R-0013 reagent isn't a problem.
While we are sort of on this topic, does anyone know which test reagents have the longest shelf life, and which the shortest?
Ike
Ike
I think it greatly depends on how you store them. The CYA is inert and the longest ... beyond that I do not know. I have a TF-100 that is over 3 years old that still gives me accurate results (SHHH ... don't tell Dave 
) ... although some of the regents have now been replaced when I ran out.
) ... although some of the regents have now been replaced when I ran out.
The dyes, the reagents which provide the initial color in most of the tests, tend to be the most sensitive and last the shortest. The FAS-DPD titrant (R-0871) is also sensitive.
tcat
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Interesting topic. I'm needing some 0871 and saw it at Amazon at $10 for (12) 2 oz bottles, cheap! If I could freeze it and make it last 3 or 4 years might be worth it. Here's some good info from Taylor:
http://www.taylortechnologies.com/ChemistryTopicsCM.ASP?ContentID=2
http://www.taylortechnologies.com/ChemistryTopicsCM.ASP?ContentID=2
I know this to be true as a general rule. Indicators and normally the first to go.